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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. fine — all right
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bass — the fish
  6. perch — the fish
  7. tear — from crying
  8. tear — to rip
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bear — the animal
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. fine — high quality
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. tear — from crying
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bay — a part of the sea

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com